Fluid pressure control means



Feb. 2, 1960 H. o. KAFFINE FLUID PRESSURE CONTROL MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March 13, 1959 Jacquard Mach,

. l ll INVEN TOR. HEINRICH O. KAFFINE ATTORNEYS H. O- KAFFINE FLUIDPRESSURE CONTROL MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 13, 1959 INVENTOR HEINRICHO. KAFFINE ATTORNEYS- Feb. 2;, N60 H. o. KAFFINE mun PRESSURE CONTROLMEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 13. 1959 INVENTOR HEINRICH O. KAFFINE272 4 Cam M M ATTORNEYS Feb, 2, 196!) 1-1.0. KAFFINE FLUID PRESSURECONTROL MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 13, 1959 R E m mF V A W. K QH w R m E H ATTORNEY limited States This invention relates to looms forthe weaving of threads, and it more'particularly relates to novelcontrol means for such looms.

Looms of the type here involved are multiple looms adapted to weave anumber of tapes or the like atone time. Such looms include a battenhaving a plurality or shuttles which carry the threads. These shuttles,which are aligned in horizontal rows, move back and forth ininterrelated arcuate paths at high speeds, interweaving the threads asthey move. The shuttles are actuated in these movements by pinions onthe batten which are in mesh with appropriate gearing on the shuttle.The pinions are themselves actuated by rapidly reciprocating racks.

Some looms of the aforesaid type are relatively simple and may containonly one set of shuttles. Such looms are used only for weaving materialsof a single weave where no pattern is required. However, where a patternis desired, the looms are ,of the jacquard type where various sets orrows of shuttles are provided; different rows of shuttles acting insynchronism with each other in predetermined arrangement to formselected patterns. Such patterns may be either simple or quite intricatedepending on the motion and interrelationship of the shuttles. i

The present invention relates to looms of the Jacquard type. Heretofore,such looms were acutated by purely mechanical means involving relativelyheavy and clumsy levers, cranks and the like. These mechanisms, althoughgenerally quite efficient, were hampered by an inherent limitation ontheir speed and were often subject to expensive and time-consumingbreakdowns due to frictional wear of the parts. They were also quiteexpensive both Another object of the present invention is to provide aloom of the aforesaid type which permits high speed operation while yetbeing relatively easy to operate and relatively inexpensive to constructand maintain.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat schematic view showing the general workingarrangement of the parts of a mechanism embodying the present invention,with certain parts omitted. 1

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partly broken away to show thefluid-pressure operated piston assembly for actuating the pinion-drivingracks.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly broken away to show thevalving arrangement for controlling the pistons of Fig. 2 this viewbeing taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Flg. 4 1s a somewhat schematic,perspective view showing the drive meansfor vertical movement of thebatten. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig.2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5. Referring now ingreater detail to the various figures of the drawings wherein similarreference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a loomoperating assembly, generally designated 10, which includes actuatingmeans (to be.hereafter more fully described) mounted at one end of theframework 12 of a loom batten. 'The remainder of the loom is not shownsince it is of generally standard construction and forms no part, byitself, of the present invention.

The aforementioned actuating meanscomprises three upper racks designated14, 16 and 18 respectively, and

. three lower racks designated 20, 22 and 24 respectively.

taneously with a corresponding rack of the lower group.

For this purpose, the racks 14 and 20 are connected by a metal strap orthe like indicated at 26 while the racks 16, and 22 are similarlyconnected by strap 28 and racks 18;

I and 24 are connected by strap 30.

Depending from rack 14 is a hanger 32 to which is: connected a head 34positioned at one end of a piston rod 36. This piston rod 36 extendsinto a fluid pressure. cylinder 38 which is mounted between twomanifoldi housings 40 and 42 connected by tie rods 41 held inplace:

by nuts 43. In similar manner, two other vertically; spaced cylinders 44and 46 are arranged between the. manifold housings 40 and 42. A secondpiston rod 48. extends from cylinder 44 and is provided with a head 50connected to the strap 28 while a third piston rod 52 ex tends fromcylinder 46 and is provided with a head 54.- connected to strap 30. i 4The longitudinal reciprocatory movements of the piston rods 36, 48 and52 act to reciprocate the respective pairs of racks to which they areconnected, and guide rods are provided, to guide the movements of theracks. Such guide rods are indicated at 56, 58, 60 and 62; the

. guide rod 56 extending through a bearing in hanger 32,

the guide rods 58 and 60 extending through corresponding bearings instrap 28 and the guide rod 62 extending through a bearing in strap 30.The straps 26 and 30 are appropriately offset, as at 64and66-respectively, to provide clearance for the parts during relativemovements thereof. I a 1 The piston rods 36, 48 and 52 are arranged tobe operated individually and selectively by means of ap-' propriatefluid pressure controls. These controls comprise the cylinders 38, 44and 46 used in conjunction with the valve assemblies which include themanifold housings 40 and 42 mounted on the frame 12 and their;associated elements.

Each piston rod forms part of a piston longitudinally movable in -itsrespective cylinder.

40 by tie rods 41 andbolts 69 while at its other end, the- -cylinder 44is closed by a gland 70. This gland 70 has i a central bore throughwhich the piston rod-48 extends;

this borebeing provided with counterbores at 72 and,

74. y .In the counterbore 72 is provided a wiper 76, which wipes foreignmatter from the shaft 48 onlits returrl v ;st rok e; while in thecounterbore 74, are proyided pack i ing 78 and pressure rings 80. Anannular reces's 82 Since all three pis-: tons and piston cylinders aresubstantially identical, only.

a nset and a d. W

and gland 7.0, the cylinder is provided with a reducedpo f'tio'll 1 at5. defihedby'internalshoulders 87.

' Each shoulder87 is provided with a flat 88 at one port on of theperiphery thereof-(as best shown ism";- ures '5 and 6 anjdthis flat'88is' intersected by a passage 89 leading to a valve chamber 90. The valvechamber 90 is in communicationwith a passage 91; this communicationbeing closed, opened or partially closed by a screwthreaded needle valve92.

"The passage91is connected to a passage 93 which leads: into anannulargroove 9,4 surrounding a chamber 96. This groove 94 intersects afiat 98 mating with a transverse passage 100 '(see Fig. 3).

The piston rod 48 is iormed with a reduced end on which is mounted'apiston head generally designated102 and comprising a central block ordisc 104 of substantially the same diameter as the internal diameter ofthe cylinder. An annular recess 106 is provided in the outer peripheryof disc 104 and retains an O-ring 108 therein.

' On each side of disc 104 is provided a block or boss 110 of somewhatsmaller diameter than disc104 and of a diameter substantially the sameas the internal diameter ofthe reduced portions 86.

A series of annularly-spaced bores 112, preferably three portion 166adjacent the flange 154; these ports 170 leading into passage 168.

, 148 is a valve 180. Thi s valve 180 is provided with an in number, areprovided in each boss 110; Each bore 112 is provided with a restrictedpassage 1 13 from which it is separated by a shoulder 114. Within eachbore 112 is a check valve comprising a ball 115 urged toward thecorresponding shoulder 114 by a spring 116. A lateral passage 117connects chamber 96 The manifold housings 40 and 42 are substantiallyidentical, each comprising three vertically spaced valve chem bers 118,120 and 122 formed on a common casting and interconnected by a commonvertical fluid chamber-124.

each bore 112 to the'cylinder This chamber 124 has a filling opening 126at its upperend; this opening being internally threaded and closed by athreaded plug 128. At its lower end, the chamber 124' is provided withan outlet 130 to which is connected a conduit 132. Thehousing 42 issimilarly providedwith aconduit 134. is 3 i The conduits 132 and 134lead to opposite ends of a solenoid valve chamber 136'controlled byopposing alternately operated solenoids 138 and 140. The solen oid 138is in electrical circuit'with a battery, or other source of electricalenergy 142 and a'microswitch 144 while the solenoid 140 is in circuitwith the battery 142 and microswitch 146. These microswitches 144 and146 are alternately operating and maybe actuated by the socalledjacquard mechanism which is controlled by the insertion of punch cards.Since this jacquard mechanism of-standard construction and operation, itwill not be described in any further detail here. i

The valve arrangements in each of the chambers 118,.

120 and 122 of each manifold housing are substantially identical so thatthe description of one, for example that ofchamber 120, constitutes adescription of all.

The valve chamber 120, similarly to all the other valve chambers, isopen at one 'end and connected with the passage 100 at the opposite end.It is also provided with an internal sleeve 148 having opposed ports 150defined by annular shoulders 152 and 154. The ports 150 mate with ports156 in the chamber; these ports 156 leading to the common verticalchamber 124.

The flanges 152 and 154 are each provided with an annular recess, as at158 and 160 and in eachrecess is an O-ring, as at 162 and 164.

At the rearward side of flange 154 the sleeve is reduced iii diameter toform reduced portion'166. 'I 'his provides' a peripheral passage 168around' -th reduced pi'tion 1 st; this pass ge 15 as uming rwiq ss'e econduit230 to the tank 226. This causes alternateflowinternal bore 182at its rear end. In this bore 182 is positioned one end of a coil spring184, the other end of which is connected to the rear closure plate 186of the sleeve portion 166. This spring 184 acts to normally bias thevalve forwardly.

Adjacent its rear end, the valve 180 is provided with an annular recess188 in which is positioned an (Him; 190, while at its intermediateportion, valve 180 is reduced, as at 192. The forward end of thisreduced portion is defined by a flange 194 which is annularly recessedat 196 to hold an'O-ring 198. Forwardly of this flange 194, the valve isagain reduced at 200. This portion 200 is forwardly defined by a flange202 adapted to abut against shoulder 178. Forwardly of flange 202, thevalve is slightly reduced, as at 204, to slidably fit within bushing172. At the forward end of valve portion 204 is rotatably positioned aroller 206. Similar rollers 208 and 210 are provided at other valves.

The rollers 206, 208 and 210 are cam rollers adapted to coact. withcorresponding cams 212, 214and 216 integral with a cam plate 218. Thiscam plate 218 is mounted on a stationary support arm 220 which isintegral with a bracket 222 connected to the supporting lay beam 224.The lay beam 224 is attached to the machine in any desired manner.

. The cams 212,214 and 216 are so dimensioned and arranged that only onecam roller will be in contact with its corresponding cam at any one time(as clearly shown in Fig. 3). Consequently, vertical movement of thebatten 12 is necessary to selectively bring the individual cam rollersinto operative alignment with their respective cams.

Upon a cam roller coming into contact with its corresponding cam, thevalve associated with that roller is opened to actuate the correspondingpair of racks. For example, when the cam roller 206 is in the positionshown in Fig. 3, it is spaced from its corresponding cam 212. Inthisposition, the spring 184 urges the valve 180 into the closed positionwherein the rear portion of the valve closes the ports 170 fromcommunication with theports 150. In this position, there is no fluidflow between the vertical chamber 124 and the piston cylinder 44.However, when the cam roller 206 is moved up into contact with cam 212,the valve 180 is forced back against the bias'of spring 184 into theposition where the reduced portion 192 of the valve establishescommunication between ports 150 and 170. This permits flow in eitherdirection between the vertical chamber 124 and cylinder 44; such flowbeing directed through peripheral passage 1 68, passage and chambers 96of the piston cylinder.

The solenoid valve chamber 136 is in fluid connection 134 from solenoidvalve chamber 136 to either side of the piston head 102. Alternateoperation of the micro switches 144 and 146 acts on their respectivesolenoids 138 and to alternately open the solenoid valve to pressure ineither conduit 132 or 134 while simultaneously opening the'other conduitto return flow through rash awa s 32.? 41 s lt n. W g am correspondingpositions for the of the piston 102 and of its rod 48. The reciprocationof the rod 48 causes'a corresponding reciprocation of the racks attachedthereto.

During reciprocation of the piston 102, when the piston approaches thereduced portion 86 at either end of the cylinder 44, the boss 1 abutsthe reduced portion while the fluid around the boss isentrapped betweenthe peripheral area of the disc portion 104 of the piston head and theshoulder 87. This entrapped fluid acts as a cushioning or dashpot meansto prevent slamming of the piston at either end of the cylinder. t

The entrapped fluid is partially relieved by flowing through passage 89,valve chamber 90 and passages 91,-

permits a faster and surer movement of the piston away from shoulder 87.

The three sets of racks are provided, as indicated previously, 'in orderto obtain various patterns in the finished product. These patternsresult from the selective use of the various racks, each of whichactuates a different set of shuttles. Since the different racks areactuated by their corresponding fluid-pressure operated piston rods, inorder to change from one set of racks to.

another, it is necessary to move the batten up or down until the camroller associated with the selected position engages its correspondingcam. This selective vertical movement may be provided in any desiredmanner by appropriate signal from the aforementioned jacquard mechanism.One manner of efliciently accomplishing it, however, is indicated inFig. 4.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the batten is mounted upon a series of rods234, spaced from each other along the length of a shaft 236 whichextends the length of the machine. The rods 234 are connected to theshaft 236 by means of links 238 pivotally connected to their respectiverods 234 by pivot joints 240. The rods 234- extend through correspondingapertures in the lay beam 224 and are provided with cushioning springs242 between the lay beam and the batten.

The shaft 236 is rotated to rock the links 238 to an extent suflicientto cause the rods 234 to move the batten to the desired position by themechanism shown in Fig. 4. This mechanism comprises a cam wheel 244rotatably mounted on the side of the machine. It may be rotatablyconnected to the frame or any other desired stationary part of themachine.

The wheel 244 is provided with a centrally located cam 246 defining acam track between itself and a peripheral flange 250 on the wheel.

Movable in the cam track 248 is a cam follower 256 mounted on one end ofa curved arm 258. The opposite end of arm 258 is connected to a pin 260eccentrically positioned on a disc 262 rotatably mounted on a stationarypart of the machine. The arm 258 is integrally connected to one end of alink portion 264 adjustably connected at its other end, by means of apin 266 and slot 268, to one end of a rod 270. The rod 270 is connectedat its other end to one end of a lever 272 which is connected at itsother end to the shaft 236.

The wheel 244 is operatively connected to the main drive shaft of theloom (not shown) and the wheel 244 is actuated by appropriate signalsfrom the aforementioned jacquard mechanism which controls aone-revolution clutch (not shown) operatively connected to the wheel.

In operation, the wheel 244 is rotated in accordance with thesignalsreceived from the jacquard mechanism.

Asit rotates through a predetermined -arcuate extent, it

moves the follower256 to a certain portion of the earn 246. This movesthe arm 258 and the remainder of the linkage attached thereto to rotatethe shaft 236 a suf: ficient amount to rock the links 238 to move therods 234 and the'batten carried thereby to a predetermined positionwherein one of the cam Wheels 206, 208 or 210- by an appropriate signalfrom the jacquard mechanism to provide a third position of adjustment.

Although only three positions of adjustment are necessary in the machineillustrated because only three sets of valves are used, theeccentrically connected disc 262 may be used to provide a fourthposition if four sets of valves are used by adding its position to theposition of the cam wheel. In this connection, it should be pointed outthat the number of valves and consequently of racks and shuttles used,may be varied as desired and feasible and that the three shown aremerely for the purpose of illustration.

It is also possible to eliminate the eccentrically connected disc 262and use only a cam wheel with the desired number of cam positions. It iseven within the scope of the invention to utilize any other desiredmeans for raising and lowering the batten in accordance with apredetermined pattern; however, the mechanism of Fig. 4 has beenillustrated as a preferable form.

While the batten is being raised or lowered, it is desirable that theracks be restrained from reciprocating. To accomplish this purposeautomatically, a cam disc 274 is mounted on the main power shaft 276 ofthe loom. This cam disc has a cam portion 278 adapted to coact with acamroller 280 rotatably mounted on a bracket 282 connected to the lowerend of a valve stem 284. The stem 284 is connected to a shutoff valvegenerally indicated at 286. This valve 286 is interposed in the conduit228 between the pump 232 and the valve chamber 136. As the shaft 276rotates, it intermittently shuts off the flow of fluid to the solenoidvalve as the cam 278 engages the roller 280. The jacquard mechanism isso timed that it provides the actuating signal to the drive for the camwheel 244 only during the engagement of the cam 278 and roller 280.

It should be noted that the reciprocatory stroke of the pistons may bemade adjustable by making the length of the piston rods or the length ofthe cylinders adjustable.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced other than as specifically described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. A loom assembly comprising a batten movable in a first plane, saidbatten beingadapted to support a plurality of movable shuttles onsaidbatten, actuating means for moving said shuttles, said actuating meansincluding a plurality of parallel, individually reciprocating members onsaid batten, said members being reciprocable in a second planetransverse to the plane of movement of said batten, fluid pressure meansfor selectively operating said reciprocating members, and control meansfor controlling the selective operation of said fluid pressure means,said control means being operatively associated with said batten to varythe selective operation of said fluid pressure means in accordance withselected posi- 3. The loom assembly of claim 1 wherein said controlmeans comprises aplurality of valves arrangeddn series and movable withsaid batten in said first plane, said valves being provided withindividual cam followers and being normally closed, said cam followersbeing movable against corresponding cams for opening said valves uponmovement of'said valves to selected positions in said first plane. Y

4. A loom assembly comprising a batten movable in a first plane, saidbatten being adapted to support a plurality of movable shuttles thereon,actuating means for moving said shuttles, said actuating means beingmovable in a second plane transverse to said first plane, and controlmeans for said actuating means, said control means comprising twospaced, parallel-valve manifolds, a,

series of valves in each manifold, the valves in each manifold beingarranged in series in the direction of said first plane, each of thevalves in each manifold being. aligned with a corresponding valve in theother manifold, aflnid pressure cylinder extending between each pair ofaligned valves, a piston in each cylinder, said pistons including pistonrods connected to corresponding shuttle-actuating means, conduit meansconnecting each manifold to a source of fluid pressure, and means forapplying fluid pressure through said conduit means to each manifoldalternately. Y

5. The loom assembly of claim 4 wherein a cut-off means is providedbetween saidsource of fluid pressure and said manifolds, said cut-offmeans being operatively synchronized with the movement of said batten insaid.

first plane to cut off the application of pressure fluid to saidmanifoldswhile said batten is moving in said-first plane. 1 l

6. The loom assembly of claim 4 wherein said; means for applying: fluidpressure-alternately comprises asolenoid-actuatedvalve interposedbetween said source of fluid pressure and said manifolds, the solenoidsof said valve being connected to alternately move the valve from apressure-applying position relative to one manifold to apressure-applying position relative to the other manifold, and switchmeans connected to said solenoids for effecting alternate actuationthereof. 7

7. The loom assembly of claim 4 wherein said cylinders are adjustable inlength to vary the stroke of'the corresponding pistons.

8.- A loom assembly comprising. a support, a batten adapted to support aplurality of shuttles vertically, movable on said support, means formoving said batten vertically, a plurality of racks for actuating saidshuttles, said racks being arranged for horizontal reciprocatingmovement on said batten, pistons operatively connected to said racks,said pistons being horizontally movable in corresponding cylindersarranged in vertical series on said batten, said cylinders extendingbetween a pair of manifolds connected to said batten, avertical seriesof normally closed valves in each manifold, each valve; being associatedwith a corresponding inlet at one end of the corresponding cylinder,each valve having a cam roller thereon extending outof. the manifold, apainof ,cam platcsconnected to said supportin alignment with saidpair'of manifolds, each camplate having a vertical series of cams forengaging the cam rollers to, open thejvalves, said cams beingso spacedrelativeto saidcam rollers that only v one cam roller. of each manifoldis inalignment 8 with its corresponding cam at any one time, said camrollers being vertically, movable relative to said cams by the verticalmovement of said batten, and a source of fluid pressure connected tosaid manifolds.

9, The, loom assembly of claim 8 wherein said batten is mounted onvertically movable rods pivotally con nected to. an oscillating linkage,said linkage beingconnected to a lever having a cam follower operativelyassociated with a cam, said cam being movable by selected actuatingmeans. 1

10. The loom assembly of claim 9 wherein said lever is eccentricallyconnected to a rotatable carrier, said carrier being rotatable byselected actuating means to provide compound movements of said linkage.

11. The loom assembly of claim 8 wherein said racks are operativelycombined in pairs for simultaneous movement, each piston beingoperatively connected to one pair of said racks.

12. The loom assembly of claim 8 wherein said control means comprises asolenoid valve connected to each of said manifolds by separatecorresponding conduits, said solenoid valve being actuatable to applyfluid pressure through said conduits individually upon the applicationof selected electrical signals to the solenoid mechanism thereof.

13. The loom assembly of claim 8 wherein cut-off means are providedbetween said control means and said source of fluid pressure, saidcut-ofi means being driven in timed relationship with said means formoving said batten vertically to elfecta stoppage of fluid pressureduring vertical movement of said batten.

l4.-The loom assembly of claim 8 wherein the horizontal strokes of saidpistons are adjustable.

15. In a loom assembly having movable shuttles and actuating means formoving said shuttles, said actuating means comprising at least onefluid-pressure operated piston movable in a cylinder, said cylinderhaving a reduced portion at each end defined by an internal shoulder,said piston comprising a piston rod and a piston head on said rod, saidpiston head having a central portion of greater diameter than theinternal diameters of said shoulders and a pair of oppositely disposedbosses on either side of said central portion, said bosses having adiameter larger than the internal diameters of said shoulders, each ofsaid bosses having at least one bore mating with an aligned passageopening out of that end of the boss which is remote from said centralportion, the bore :being separated from its mating passage by aninternal shoulder, a passage leading out from eachbore against theadjacent face of said central portion, and a check valve in each bore,said check valve being adapted to seat against the correspondinginternal shoulder separating the bore from its mating passage.

16. The loom assembly of claim 15 wherein said check valve is aspring-pressed ball within the bore.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

